Record winners Rangers duel with minnows St Mirren

The first honour of the Scottish football season, the League Cup, will be decided at Hampden Park on Sunday. On paper, Rangers are favourites to triumph at the expense of lowly St Mirren... simply there is no comparison between the two teams.

Rangers have won the League Cup a record 25 times, yet the Buddies have never tasted success in this competition. Their only brush with the trophy came in 1956 when they were losing finalists to Aberdeen.

The Old Firm rivals, Celtic and Rangers, dominated 11 of the last 13 finals as Rangers won six to their rivals' five.

Since Walter Smith took over at Ibrox in 2007-08, after Alex McLeish left for the English Premier League, he managed to end Rangers' wait for a championship success by winning the league title last year.

Rangers, who had been in the shadow of Celtic for many years, now seem to be turning things around and they are well-placed to retain the crown.

Rangers claimed their 17th double last season, winning the championship (four points ahead of Celtic) and the Scottish Cup (1-0 over Falkirk).

But Smith remarked that his side can go one better this season and achieve the treble for a record eighth time.

The title is virtually assured as Rangers tackle St Mirren in the Scottish League Cup final and have also reached the last four of the Scottish Cup.

With Smith in charge, Rangers have reached every domestic final, losing only last season's League Cup showdown to Celtic. This will be the fifth consecutive final for Smith and his side on the domestic scene.

Last season, St Mirren only managed to keep their place in the Premier League thanks to a better goal difference than relegated Inverness. They are again struggling to preserve their status this term.

The Saints, managed by Gus MacPherson, were glad to stretch Rangers to a replay in the Scottish Cup this season, in round four.

After 175 minutes of goalless action, following a 0-0 draw in the first game, Rangers secured qualification thanks to a Kris Boyd netting.

That defeat left the Buddies without a win at Ibrox since November.

MacPherson, meanwhile, is boosted by the semi-final victory at Motherwell's Fir Park against elite Premier side Hearts. Billy Mehmet's super strike sent the Buddies into ruptures as they earned their first major final in 23 years.

MacPherson can rely on midfielder Graham Carey, signed on loan from Celtic.

After their semi-final win, the St Mirren players were at loggerheads with the club's board for slashing their bonus by £600 to £1,000.

Yet, MacPherson came to their aid when he uttered that 'nothing' would get in the way of the players enjoying the day at Hampden Park.

Head to head

Earlier this month, Rangers and St Mirren met at Ibrox Park in the Premier League and the Gers won 3-1 (McCulloch 2, Novo − Carey).

That result will surely give a psychological boost to Rangers on Sunday, if ever they needed one.

In the other two league meetings at St Mirren Park this season, the Buddies lost both.

In past League Cup meetings Rangers lead 13-2. Although St Mirren won on two occasions, they lost on aggregate.

Path to final

Rangers
Third round: Away vs Queen of South 2-1 (Naismith, Novo).
Quarter-final: Away vs Dundee 3-1 (Whittaker, G. MacKenzie og, Fleck).
Semi-final: At Hampden vs St Johnstone 2-1 (Davis, McCulloch).

St Mirren
Second round: Away vs Ayr 2-0 (Higdon, Mehmet).
Third round: Away vs Kilmarnock 2-1 (McGinn, Dorman).
Quarter-final: Home vs Motherwell 3-0 (Higdon, Ross, Craigan og).
Semi-final: At Fir Park vs Hearts 1-0 (Mehmet).